An Oliphaunt!
by NirCele
Summary: Never trust two bored elflings claiming that there's an oliphaunt outside. It never ends well - for Erestor *or* Glorfindel! One-shot.


**Another one-shot! Frankly, there's this evil little bunny cackling in the corner. It's filling my head with all these little ideas that I have to get out before I go nuts. And it does it ****_while_**** I'm actually writing a long story! Someday...rabbit stew, I swear.**

* * *

"Look, 'Restor, an oliphaunt!"

Erestor, the dark-haired adviser and Chief Counselor to Lord Elrond, determinedly continued reading the book he held in his lap. He was not going to be distracted by the little elfling.

"Yeah, there's an oliphaunt!" came a voice so similar to the first. "Look outside the window!"

"I will not," Erestor announced, looking up briefly and gracing the identical elflings with a glare before lowering his head back to his book. "Now sit down and work on your lessons." The mischievous twins would do anything to get out of their work. Elladan, the eldest, was the main perpetrator, pulling his little brother into trying to convince Erestor to let them out of lessons. Elrohir, when not prodded on by his twin, was usually a sweet little elfling that did his work without being told. Right now, though, both were standing in front of their teacher, papers and quills left abandoned on the floor.

"Come on, come on," pleaded Elladan. The only way Erestor could tell them apart right now was because of the beads braided into their hair. Elladan's dark locks were adorned with glimmering silver ovals, matching his bright eyes almost perfectly. Elrohir, however, had a pattern of dark blue beads weaved into his braids. Their hair was coming undone, after only breakfast and a half hour of lessons, and Erestor would hate to see what they would look like after they had their playtime.

"There really is a big oliphaunt out there!" Elrohir stressed. He looked with big grey eyes up at Erestor and plopped his chin on the adviser's knee. "_Please_ could you go look?"

Erestor faithfully kept his eyes to the book, but the weight of Elrohir's gaze settled fully on him and he finally couldn't stand it anymore, glancing up. He stared into Elrohir's bright orbs for only a few seconds before giving in. "Fine!" Letting out an exasperated sigh, he shut his book and placed it on the table beside him. He stood to his feet, glancing quickly around the library to make sure no one had seen him succumb to the twin's elfling charms, then went quickly to the window. The glass panes were swung outwards, scarlet curtains fluttering to the sides. A thick ledge jutted out almost two feet from the bottom, and Erestor leaned on it as he looked out into the yard. The view from this window was breathtaking; a pond was about twenty feet below, with a single waterfall cascading down into it. Lush grass thrived right next to the water, and the lawn stretched all the way across to the Healing Halls and a small supply building.

Erestor scanned the yard thoroughly and frowned. "There is no oliphaunt," he said over his shoulder, trailing off as he saw a flash of gold below him. Was that . . . hair? Taking a startled step back, Erestor almost let out a very un-elf-like squeal as Glorfindel popped up over the edge of the window, his hair streaming behind him and a broad grin on his face. The Balrog-slayer propped his arms on the ledge as he smirked at Erestor.

Erestor swallowed back the shriek that almost escaped him and frowned. "What are you doing? Did you tell Elladan and Elrohir to lie and say there was an oliphaunt just so you could scare me?"

"He _looks_ like an oliphaunt," Elladan boldly declared safely behind Erestor.

"No!" protested Glorfindel. "Of course not! I would never tell innocent elflings to _lie_! I might . . . suggest it, but certainly not tell them to!" He batted his eyelashes unconvincingly at Erestor and smiled sweetly, holding a hand out. "Help me up?"

"Hmph." Erestor considered just letting him hang there until he pulled himself up, but it would be better to get him up then kick him out of the library quickly. Letting out a disgruntled sigh, the adviser stepped forward and extended his hand.

Glorfindel grasped the hand firmly and yanked Erestor forward suddenly, letting go of the ledge. Erestor's eyes widened as he was pulled toward the open window. "Glorf - you better not!"

The Balrog-slayer let out a wild laugh as Erestor was jerked right over the window and they both plummeted toward the water below. Landing with two tremendous splashes, they submerged into the crystal-clear pond. Glorfindel surfaced with a chortle, completely soaked. He glanced over to see Erestor rising from the water with a furious expression on his face, black robes streaming with liquid.

"How dare you - " roared the once-sedate adviser, starting for the smug Glorfindel.

"You are far too serious, _mellon_," exclaimed Glorfindel, standing up in the shallow water and sloshing for dry ground.

"And _you_ will _pay_ for that!" Erestor threatened, the effect of his furious face somewhat spoiled by his robes that were weighing him down. Hearing two light snickers, his head snapped up to see two identical elflings giggling at the sight of their tutor drenched. "Get down here!" Erestor yelled up at Elladan and Elrohir, and they ducked out of view quickly, still laughing.

"You look so relaxed," Glorfindel taunted from the safety of the lawn, shaking his tunic out and grinning.

Erestor snarled and lunged for him, then promptly fell face-first into the water as he tripped over his saturated robes.

"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""

Elrond Peredhel, Lord of Imladris, was enjoying his peaceful moment - the first since his twin sons woke up this morning - and it was a very odd way to achieve peacefulness. An strange smile graced his face as he happily make notes and annotations on paper, sometimes adding his signature. Normally, he would never enjoy work like this, but since there were no twin terrors running around the room at the moment, he was happy. Of course, tranquil times were meant to be ruined.

It was far from the normal way he was used to being interrupted - usually Elladan would run shrieking into the room, prostrate himself at his father's feet, and beg him to be allowed to "never ever _ever_ have to do lessons with boring old Erestor again" and Elrohir would be following, but with an embarrassed look on his face. Erestor would then come into the room, scoop up the boys while apologizing profusely, and they would leave. After that, Elrond might have another twenty minutes or so before the next interruption.

This time, though, his door burst open and Glorfindel ran inside, his chest heaving. He slammed the study door shut again, leaned against it for a moment, then sprinted for Elrond's desk. Sliding around the desk, he stopped behind Elrond and smiled sheepishly down at him. "_Mae govannen_," the Balrog-slayer greeted.

Elrond raised an eyebrow. "May I ask what my Captain of the Guard is doing in here? You should be getting the practice field elfling-proof for your lessons with the twins in ten minutes."

"No, actually - " He was cut off by the door to Elrond's study flying open again. This time it rebounded off the wall and was caught right before it slammed shut by an outstretched hand. It was Erestor, his eyes slitted and lips thinned, looking suspiciously like an angry bull with his nostrils flared. The most astounding thing about him, though, were his standard black robes, now dripping water onto the thick carpeted floor. He didn't seem to be aware of that, though; glaring furiously at Glorfindel, who was now crouched behind Elrond's chair.

"Tell him I'm not here," pleaded Glorfindel. His golden hair was sticking out from the armrest, and that was the part Erestor was looking at, appearing like he was going to lunge forward and strangle the Balrog-slayer.

"He's not here," Elrond repeated dutifully, then shook his head. "What is it, Erestor?"

No matter how angry he was, the adviser could never yell at Lord Elrond. It just wasn't possible for him. Erestor took in a deep breath, then let it out in a shuddering sigh. "That _thing_ behind you pulled me out the library window and into the water below it." He continued glaring at the only part of Glorfindel visible - his hair.

"I assume that explains the water then?" Elrond glanced over his shoulder and realized Glorfindel was soaked too. A brief frown crossed his face. Glorfindel liked to edge the Chief Counsellor on, backing away right before he exploded. This time though, he had gone too far. Elrond agreed that Erestor needed to lighten up some, relax when off the job - he kept to a strict schedule even when not working - but _pulling him into the water_? That was definitely not a way to help.

Just as Elrond opened his mouth to ask to speak to Glorfindel alone for a moment, two balls of energy darted through the open door and toward him.

"_Ada_!" yelled one, leaping into the air. Elrond barely caught the elfling in time. The other twin ran around Elrond's chair and jumped on Glorfindel, shrieking in excitement.

"We had fun," exclaimed the twin in Elrond's lap - he had navy blue beads in his hair, which was coming apart now - so it had to be Elrohir.

"Yeah," Elladan chattered, flinging his hands around Glorfindel's neck. "We said there was an oliphaunt, and there kind of was, but then Erestor - "

" - went over to the window and got pulled out by Glorfy!" finished Elrohir excitedly.

"And he screamed so loud!" Elladan added.

" - then he splashed . . . "

" - into the water, and . . . "

" - Glorfy laughed and ran away . . . "

" - and 'Restor was so mad!" finished Elladan, beaming. "We helped Glorfy!"

"We're happy!" Elrohir announced. He looked up into his father's face and sobered somewhat, placing his hands on Elrond's cheeks and patting them. "Are you happy?"

"I am not happy at the moment," Elrond said seriously, shifting his leg so Elrohir slid off onto the floor. "I will talk to you later about being naughty when you're supposed to be doing your lessons, now go find Celebrían - your mother, and stay with her for now."

"I'll go with them," Glorfindel volunteered, standing to his feet with Elladan still hanging on to his neck. "I don't think your wife will take kindly to being interrupted by these two."

Lord Elrond gave him a stern look. "No, _Erestor_ will accompany them, and you will stay here. We're going to have a talk."

"I don't want to go with 'Restor!" Elrohir complained. "He's still mad at us!"

Elrond gave him The Look.

"I'll go!" Elladan said quickly, slithering down from Glorfindel and running to the Chief Counsellor, who had been standing and watching the whole thing with a purposely blank expression on his face. Sliding his hand into Erestor's larger one, Elladan gave the adviser a big innocent smile. Erestor just huffed and turned to leave, tugging the older twin along with him.

"O-o-oka-ay," said Elrohir reluctantly as he saw his brother leaving. "Fine." His mind made up, he shot after the two, slamming the door to the study shut behind him.

Glorfindel slowly turned and tried the same innocent look Elladan had used. "Er . . . it was all in good sport."

"I'm sure. Why don't you sit down."

Glorfindel gulped.


End file.
